


The Battle of Earth 2023, REDUX

by topdawg27



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: End Game fix it, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Pepperony Week, pepperonyweek2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 07:40:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20170606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/topdawg27/pseuds/topdawg27
Summary: Submitted for Pepperony week 2019, "End Game Fix It"





	The Battle of Earth 2023, REDUX

**Author's Note:**

> So everyone's fics on this trope, are lovely. But I want to FIX the battle... coz I am a violent bastard.  
There are some plot holes, I know but... they can't be as big as the ones the Russos left in End Game, with all their multiple branching timelines etc.

_ **Starts right after the Sling Ring portals open and the resurrected Avengers come out. ** _

Tony hugged Peter tightly to him, closing his eyes with happiness.

"Oh kid... you have no idea how much I missed you." He muttered tiredly. 

"Mr. Stark...hey... its okay. We are all here now..." 

He slowly let Peter go, smiling broadly at him. "Yes. We are. And call me Tony. Please."

"Stark..." Tony felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face Strange.

"Stark, I know what you are going to do. But please don't do it..." the wizard said solemnly.

Tony stared at him with confusion. "I do not know what you are talking about." 

"Thanos is here. I know you have all the stones. Stark.. I saw the future. I know that you are going to sacrifice it all. Just to save us."

Tony clenched his jaw. 

"Five years ago... on Titan... you told me that it would all come down to one moment. That we were in the End Game. You saved me from dying on that day, for this day, for this time." 

He inched closer to Strange, whispering heatedly, "You told me there was only one way for us to win... and that I am the one to bring it about... Bruce has done his part... its time for me to step up."

"I know what I said, Stark... but at that time... I was selfish... I saw the future but I didn't care, now...now I realize that you have moved on with your life... for God's sake man! You have a home, you have a wife, you have a child!"

Tony felt his heart clench painfully as Morgan's smiling face flashed before his eyes. 

"You have so much to lose now, Stark..." Strange said quietly. 

Then Tony looked at Peter standing there alive and young before him. He looked into his bright brown eyes, sparkling with happiness and innocence.

"And so much to save..." he clasped Strange's hand. 

"Thank you for thinking of me... but I have made my peace. I will do whatever it takes to save the present and the future. At whatever the cost." 

Strange nodded, muttering to himself, "I knew you would say that..."

Then they heard Steve's cry. "Avengers, Assemble!"

"Mr. Stark!" Peter said urgently.

"Kid, I need you to think fast, move fast and don't take foolish risks! Yell when you need help!"

"Yes Sir!"

"Strange!" 

"I am with you, Stark!"

"Come on then! Rhodey! It's time!"

* * *

The battle raged on from all sides. 

Steve, Bucky and the Raccoon were taking on one part of Thanos's horde. The Wakandan Army, led by T'Challa and Okoye were handling another.

Tony didn't know where the others were. He couldn't even see Peter. He and Rhodey and Strange had been steadily wearing down a small flank of Thanos's army.

Then he saw Thanos. 

The huge towering alien stormed down the battlefield, taking all comers. Banner ran straight at him but was punched viciously in the face and fell back hard.

Wanda and Hawkeye unleashed a rain of psionic-tainted arrows that burst into fire upon contact but they rained down harmlessly on Thanos.

"Alas..." the Titan chuckled evilly. "You humans simply aren't a match for my strength and might." 

Tony quickly flew into Thanos's line of vision, shielding Wanda and Hawkeye.

"What about me?" 

"Stark!" The giant alien's eyes glittered with hate. "I know you! How noble of you to defend your friends! With your life!"

"Hey big guy, I just came to trade punches with you. Speaking of punches." 

He equipped his unibeam and blasted Thanos in the face. 

"Ha! You call that a punch!" Thanos flailed wildly at him but Tony dodged the blow. Then he fired again.

"Is there room for one more?" Rhodes flew in behind him and began machine gunning Thanos.

Thanos roared and picked up a huge boulder of dirt.

"Oh crap! Watch out, Platypus! He's got quite the arm!"

Tony and Rhodes flew out of the hurtling boulder's path, just in time. Then they were besieged by some of Thanos's foot soldiers, snarling four legged beasts with guns and teeth.

"Maim! Tear! Break!" Thanos yelled, spurring the vicious warriors on. "But leave Stark alive! I want to crush his skull with my own hands!"

Tony and Rhodes started blasting with all their might, trying to fend off the ensuing wave of soldiers.

"Nasty little buggers, aren't they!" Rhodes yelled as he fired relentlessly into the advancing horde.

"Remember your college girlfriend's chihuahua!" Tony shouted back, shooting one soldier straight in the face. Its blood and guts splashed all over his visor. "These are just like that dog.. except hairier!"

"Tony, Tony, Tony..." Rhodes said, grinning widely. "You just salty coz that dog liked humping you." 

"Did not!"

Just then, his vision darkened and he looked up to see a large boulder rise in the sky above them. Then it began to descend rapidly upon them. 

"Rhodey, watch out!" 

Tony flew quickly towards Rhodey and banged into him, knocking him out of the way. The impact of hitting the War Machine suit was painful, even through his own armored suit. 

He fell sideways hard, yelling at the painful impact. Then he looked up to see the boulder nearly upon him.

Tony braced himself for the hit. Suddenly the boulder stopped, held back by a swirling bright orange energy shield. 

Then he saw Strange behind him, moving his hands. 

"Out of the way, Stark!"

"Thank you, Doctor!"

"Don't mention it."

Then with a dignified swirl of his cloak, Strange dropped the boulder and levitated towards Thanos, hands outstretched. 

"You seem familiar, cloaked one." Thanos boomed.

"I am Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme." Strange said softly, "I yielded once to your bullying, titan warlord. Never again."

Strange then opened multiple Sling Rings in a confusing, mesmerizing medley, somehow traversing between them quickly to smack Thanos. 

Tony and Rhodes took advantage of the distraction, to finish off the small battalion of Thanos' horde, that had them surrounded. They smashed, shot and punched their way through and then help came from an unexpected quarter.

Pepper's gleaming Mark XLIX suit caught his attention. She soared towards him and then landed by his side. 

"Tony! Go help Strange, I'll help Rhodes!"

She started firing her repulsors at full speed. 

"Thank you, honey!"

He rose into the air and then saw Strange and Thanos engaged in a cat and mouse game of magic and physical might. Strange was using every illusion in the book to weave and dodge his way around Thanos' physical blows.

"Stand still, you annoying magician!" The alien roared as he slammed his fist into a curtain of feathers. 

Tony flew closer to them and just when Thanos grabbed at Strange, he swooped in and plucked Strange out of reach.

"Thank you, Stark!"

"No problem, magician! One good turn deserves another!" 

"You know I am not a magician!"

Tony looked down at the ground. 

"Luckily for us, the giant purple grape can't fly!"

To his surprise, Thanos wasn't bothered in the least bit by their escape. Instead, he seemed to be searching for someone in the battlefield. Then they saw a familiar purplish-blue figure cut across the fighting crowd of aliens and Avengers.

"Shit! It is Nebula! From Thanos' timeline!" Strange exclaimed. 

"What is she carrying? Is that a box?" 

Suddenly Tony realized what it might be. A cold shiver of fear ran down his spine.

"It's his gauntlet! He has some of the Stones! Oh no! He's going to use it!"

Tony immediately began to soar downwards. 

"We have to stop him!"

"But Stark, he doesn't have all the Stones! This is the Thanos from seven years ago!"

"He doesn't need all of them! He can decimate half of us here with just the Power and the Reality Stone! Or cripple us! We have to stop him! Where's Bruce? I have to take the Nano Gauntlet from him!"

"Over there!" Strange pointed as they neared the ground. "The Captain has it!"

"Who, Steve? Wait, how does he-"

Tony then dropped his jaw in awe. All the female fighters were moving rapidly across the landscape as a magnificent fighting force, destroying Thanos' minions in their path. He could see Captain Marvel holding the gauntlet.

"We have to buy them some time!"

Tony flew closer to the ground, letting Strange go. Then he moved towards Thanos and landed before him.

"Hey Thanos! You miss me?"

"You!" The war lord growled menacingly. Nebula stood by his side, holding the box open. 

Thanos placed his hand in it and pulled out the gleaming Infinity Gauntlet, complete with two stones. 

"I may not wipe out all of you....but I am going to make sure you turn to dust, Stark..." he said as he tightened his fist, slipping on the gauntlet.

Tony pulled out his shield and engaged his auto-launch mechanism, to unleash the most powerful firepower he had: his missiles.

Thanos raised the gauntlet. 

"Do your worst, little man... your firepower is nothing in the face of the Infinity Stones..."

Tony was just about to launch his missile, when a tiny rock out of nowhere, hit Thanos in back of his head. It bounced off his massive helmet harmlessly.

Thanos smirked and then another rock hit him. 

Captain Marvel stood behind Thanos, gloriously ablaze in her full binary form, her eyes glowing and hair glowing bright. Her hands were behind her.

"Whoever you are..." Thanos said with a sneer. "Do not waste your puny strength..." 

She shrugged and moved her hand out from behind her back, revealing the Nano Gauntlet, all 6 stones glittering in its golden structure.

Thanos took a step back. "So you have a gauntlet of your own... a word of warning, do not play with things you do not understand, human... you simply cannot handle the sheer will of strength, needed to wield such an object."

Carol raised her finger. "Firstly... no gauntlet. No opinion." She tapped the glowing red Stone on her gauntlet.

"What are you blathering about? I have my ow-" his words died on his lips as his gauntlet evaporated into the air. Nebula winked at Tony. 

Then Tony realized what she had done. 

Fuck... that's our Nebula! And the Captain conjured up the glove, using the Reality Stone!"

Thanos stared at his bare hand in horror. "Nooooo! It can't be!!"

"Secondly..." Carol clenched her fists. "How difficult can it be? All I got to do is..."

The loud snapping sound of her fingers echoed in the dead silence. 

A green and gold ribbon of pure radiation, spurted through Carol, making her spasm violently. But she managed to levitate in place as it racked her slim frame, the raw power of the Stones flowing through her body.

Her eyes rolled back in her face and she yelled loudly as the energy rippled through her skin. 

Tony jerked forward but Strange pulled him back.

"Step away! We can't interrupt her now! We must let her finish what she's started! Look, its working!"

Tony saw an alien foot soldier turn to dust, where it stood. All around them, Thanos' army was slowly disintegrating.

He saw Steve and Thor put down their weapons as their foes dissipated before their very eyes.

"Pepper!" He called out in worry and then relaxed as he saw her standing by Peter.

Then a loud war cry shattered the crackling silence. 

Thanos lunged forward at Carol, raising his battle axe. Tony instinctively rushed ahead to try and stop him but unexpectedly, Carol raised her other hand and shot a photon blast.

It hit Thanos straight in the chest, the force of the blast making him hurtle backwards in the air. Tony flew sideways wildly, to avoid being hit by the huge alien.

Then he saw Carol and rushed towards her. She had sunk to her knees on the ground.

"Captain!" He shuddered as he saw first-hand, how using the Gauntlet had wrecked her. Her left arm and the entire left side of her body including her face, was a charred oozing shriveled mess. He could smell the crisp, fleshy odor of burning flesh. Her nose was bleeding violently and her left eye had turned a milky white in its pink exposed eye socket.

"Thanos didn't die..." she muttered thickly, trying to blink. "He didn't... I failed... Stark... finish him..."

Tony stared helplessly at the destroyed blackened twisted mess on her hand, that formerly was the Nano Gauntlet. Using it twice, had destroyed it but the Stones glimmered faintly in the glove's black mass.

Rhodes joined him by her side, gently holding her. "Its okay, Carol. You are going to be fine." 

"He's still alive..." she whispered hoarsely. A single tear fell from her milky eye.

Rhodes gently lifted her into his arms. "Hush now, Captain. Just rest." 

She weakly raised her hand and then it fell to her chest as she closed her eyes.

Steve came up to them.

"Is she alive?" He asked softly as he looked at her unconscious form. 

"She's barely breathing..." Rhodes said. "I have to get her to a doctor!" 

"Yes go! We will handle the situation here!" 

Suddenly there was a loud explosion in the distance and they all turned.

"Shit... Thanos!" Steve exclaimed.

Tony immediately took flight, zooming towards the sound. 

He could see Thanos facing Shuri, Wanda and Mantis. Then his heart leapt in his throat as he saw Pepper circling Thanos from close above, firing her lasers.

Thanos yelled mightily and swung his mighty axe, narrowly missing Mantis and Shuri. Shuri and Wanda blasted him with their lasers, pushing him back temporarily.

Then he picked up another huge slab of Earth and threw it straight at the two ladies. 

Pepper flew around, trying to reach them in time but Thanos clipped her with the edge of his hammer and she flew backwards with the force of the blow.

Tony's heart hammered like a piston as he dived down as fast as he could. 

"PEPPER!"

He managed to catch her mid-air, narrowly preventing her from banging into the burnt earth.

"I got you. I got you." He cradled in her arms and flew away. "Friday! Friday!! Remote diagnostics!"

"Scanning vitals. Heartbeat detected, sir. Blood pressure high." 

His visor slid off. He landed at a secluded ashen spot, a little distance away. 

"Remote control protocol engage!"

"Engaging now. Confirmed control." 

"Disengage helmet!"

Pepper's helmet visor slid off, revealing her still pale face. Her left eye was bloodied and swollen.

"Check for broken bones!" He said hoarsely, gently tracing her face with the tips of his fingers. "Pep, wake up please... please!"

He heard another loud explosion and looked up. Bright red flashes of light appeared over the hollow of earth where Thanos had been.

"Where have I seen those flashes before?"

Then he felt movement in his arms. Pepper's sapphire blue eyes blinked open, filling him with relief. 

"Hey..." she murmured softly.

"Hey you..." he swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump of emotion in his throat. "You really scared me."

"Well..." her lips curved. "For once, it's not me worrying about you." 

"Yeah, that's right..." 

He heard another loud blast and glanced sideways.

"Tony, they need you. Go. I am fine." Pepper said weakly. Then she tried to sit up and gasped in pain.

"What is it? Where does it hurt? Friday!" 

"Mrs Potts appears to have bruised ribs and a fractured arm. Please do not move."

"See, its not serious!" Pepper said brightly but her eyes were filled with pain. "Tony, just leave me here! I'll be fine!"

"I am not leaving you!"

He carefully cradled her in his arms, preparing to blast off. Then they both heard heavy footfalls coming towards them. But with the thick smoke-covered air around them, nothing much could be seen. 

Tony could make out dim hazy figures. He immediately went into defensive mode.

"Shields armed!" 

He deployed his titanium shield and lifted his left arm, engaging his laser, while holding Pepper to him. Pepper tried to raise her firing arm but winced badly.

"It's okay, Pep! Don't strain! I got you..." he whispered tightly, scanning the shadowed smokey surroundings on high alert.

"You always do...." she whispered back.

A familiar dry voice rang out, "Stark! Is that you?"

Another deep voice called, "Tin Man!" 

Tony shouted loudly, "Legolas?" 

Hawkeye and Drax the Destroyer emerged from the smoke. 

"Stark, where the hell have you been!?" Clint yelled. "We have been looking for you-"

He caught sight of Pepper.

"Shit! Pepper!"

"She's hurt." Tony said urgently. "She needs a doctor."

"I am fine. Just a little bruise." Pepper said at the same time. 

Clint looked from one to the other.

"Okay, this changes things. We came looking for you because we need your big guns, dude but if Pepper is hurt..."

"What happened?" Tony asked. "I saw Thanos survive and then Wanda and Shuri were fighting him."

"It's not just Thanos." Clint said seriously. "Captain Marvel's disintegration worked only on small human-sized aliens. Two of Thanos' huge soldiers, a giant thing with a big hammer..."

"The Black Dwarf..." Tony murmured, remembering the giant behemoth, who he had faced in Queens 5 years ago.

"Yes Tin Man and another huge female soldier of impressive proportions. They are actively engaged in combat with the Shield Bearer and his metal armed friend. Along with the Spiderling."

"Shield Bearer?" Pepper whispered in confusion.

"He means Steve." Clint said with a roll of his eyes. "And the rest of the Space Gang of Misfits-"

"He means the great Guardians of the Galaxy." Drax said solemnly.

"Yeah. The Guardians and the Wakandans are fighting some walking Chitauri-like beast thingi towards the east. It's a weird fire spewing thing. Bruce is there too but he's patching up Groot." 

Clint grimaced. "Groot got too close to that thing and it... it burned him up pretty badly."

Drax sadly lowered his head, gazing at the floor. "My poor organic friend. He must be in a lot of pain."

Tony took a deep breath, trying to make sense of it all. "So we still have a fight on our hands." 

"Yeah and Thanos is still alive and kicking very well." Clint said sadly. "Wanda and Thor are doing their best but they need you, Stark. That's we were looking for you."

"Tony...". Pepper murmured. "You should go to them." 

"I am not leaving you." He said fiercely. He was still fearful of her health.

"I will take care of your lady, Tin Man." Said Drax solemnly. "I will carry her to medical aid. I promise to guard her with my life."

Tony was already shaking his head but Clint added, "WWE is right, Tony. We can take care of Pepper. Please help Wanda and Thor.... before Thanos..."

"I do not need your assistance, Archer." Said Draz mutinously, folding his arms. "I am very capable of defending Tin Man's lady on my own."

"Oh yeah! With your arms occupied, macho man, how are you going to defend yourself if someone attacks!" Clint said with a sneer.

Drax opened his mouth to argue but before he could say anything, Pepper said gently, "Gentlemen, I would be honored if you both could escort me out of here."

"Pep..." Tony tightened his grip on her. He was torn between wanting to help finish the fight and looking after Pepper.

She cupped his jaw, looked deep into his eyes and whispered, "This is the time for you to put an end to things. I won't stop you. Go, Tony. But promise me..." 

She pulled his head down and kissed him passionately. Then she let him go to whisper, "But promise me you will come back to me, Stark..." 

"In one piece?" He said with a levity, he didn't feel.

She kissed his cheek and murmured, "Come back to me, Tony. Please." 

"I will. I will, Pep..."

He squeezed her to him and then carefully handed her over to Drax.

"We will take her of her, Stark." Clint said softly. "Don't worry."

Tony smiled at Pepper, gently pushing her hair off her brow. "I love you, Potts."

"I love you, Stark. Remember what I said."

With one last backward glance, he blasted off into the air and flew in the direction that they had come from.

"Friday, locate the big purple grape, aka Thanos."

"10 clicks to your west, Sir."

"Maximum power to repulsors."

Tony turned and flew as fast as he could, in the direction she mentioned. In the distance, he could see Thanos and a rapidly moving speck, that he assumed to be Wanda.

"But where's Thor?"

Then from the sky, there was a mighty blast of lighting. It struck the ground next to Thanos. 

Multiple blasts of lightning began to rain down on Thanos, illuminating his giant frame in blazing white light. Smoke began to emit from the ground around him.

"Thor is trying his best… wait, they are fighting in an actual crater! Friday, terrain analysis please!"

"Scanning soil composition around the alien warlord's position."

Tony slowly circled the fight arena, keeping a safe distance because of Thor's lightning attack.

"Mr. Stark, the ground in that area, is sinking slowly. Too many disturbances in the sediment composition from all the conflict."

"Really? So if I disturb it further… with a few well-placed shots… will it cave in?"

"The soil will shift, trapping the alien warlord in its crumbling texture."

"Excellent!" 

He raised his firing arm and using his visor's telescopic sight, aimed for a spot on the ground, close to Thanos' feet.

"A little wider, Sir. Your blast must cause a seismic reaction in the surrounding soil, to allow the earth directly under Thanos to crumble."

"Okay…" he concentrated on keeping his sight steady as he slowly glided forward. "Here goes nothing!"

Tony started firing shot after shot, striking the earth around Thanos, amidst the free-fall of lightning bolts.

"Starkson!" 

He heard Thor's booming voice and saw the blonde god race around him. "You returned to the fight!"

He tossed his hair and grinned happily at Tony. 

"Yes, Point Break! I couldn't let you have Thanos all to yourself!"

Thor laughed loudly, making the sky roar with thunder. That's when Tony had an idea.

"Thor, can you make it rain?!"

Thor looked at him with surprise. "Of course I can, Man of Iron! I can summon thunderstorms and clouds! Why?"

"Thanos is standing in a weak crumbly bowl of earth! If it rains and makes this weak earth muddy-"

"He will be trapped in the muck!" Thor's eyes turned completely blue and began to glow. "Brilliant idea, Starkson! I shall make it rain!"

He lifted his hammer and began to soar up into the sky. 

Tony flew downwards, looking for Wanda. He could see that she was levitating over the crater, using her psionic energy and circling Thanos. 

"You took everything from me."

"I don't even know who you are." Thanos said deeply.

"You will."

"I can see you tire, child... come closer and let me end your tiredness."

"I will not stop until you are dead, titan." She said huskily, her red energy currents swirling around her form slowly.

Then she caught sight of Tony. He was shocked to hear her soft lightly accented voice in his head.

_I saw Thor fly upwards. What's the plan, Stark?"_

He was confused for a moment and then remembered she was telepathic.

_Thor's going to make it rain... then we hammer Thanos to the ground._

She smiled evilly and nodded. 

"Whatever you two are planning..." Thanos said menacingly. It is of no use. I know what it’s like to lose. To feel so desperately that you’re right, yet to fail nonetheless. As lightning turns the legs to jelly. I ask you to what end? Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same. And now, it’s here. Or should I say, I am."

Just then, there was a loud crack in the sky. Tony smirked as gentle drops of water began to fall on the dry burnt Earth.

"You keep singing the same song, Barney..."

Thanos narrowed his eyes in confusion. 

"Barney? My name is Thanos." 

There was another loud crack and then it began to rain in earnest. Thanos lifted his hands, staring at the drops.

"What terran trickery is this?"

"It's the ole catch-flies-with-honey trick." Tony said softly, making Wanda giggle. 

Then with a burst of purplish lighting, Thor dived from the sky, heading straight for Thanos, hammer raised. 

Thanos saw him but Thor managed to catch him off guard, barreling into him and knocking him to the muddy ground.

Then he raised his hammer and viciously began to hit Thanos with it. 

The two alien beings began to fight each other in the muddy crater. 

Thor managed to land a couple of good blows until Thanos punched him back hard, making him fly backwards into the crater's wall.

"Tag team time!" Tony yelled and he flew straight at Thanos.

He saw Thanos brace himself with his axe raised, so he last minute, soared upwards while letting lose a volley of missiles straight at Thanos.

_Keep him distracted, Stark._ He heard Wanda's voice in his head. _I will finish him._

_What! Wait Wanda! _

But he didn't have time to think because he once again faced the looming imposing figure of the Warlord. 

_Oh crap, the last time I did this, things ended badly... think Tony! Think!_

Luckily, just as he had predicted, the rain had turned the ground to a sticky gooey muck, thus hindering Thanos' flexibility. The alien slowly squelched towards him, axe raised. 

Tony deployed his shield and kept it protectively in front of him. Then he fired at Thanos' face. But his blast bounced harmlessly off his helmet. He circled Thanos from the air.

_He is too strong for me to face him on the ground! And his armor... his armor is too strong!_

_I'll take care of that._ He heard Wanda murmur. _Just keep him busy. Keep off the earth and don't get too low..._

Tony swerved and then quickly shoved his shield at Thanos, trying to push him back. But even though he had pushed with all his might, Thanos was still strong and pushed it back with force. 

Tony flew out of the way, just in time to dodge the heavy swing of the axe. 

"Thanos!!" Thor roared, making them both turn. "Face me, you coward." 

Then Thor threw his hammer straight at him but Thanos lunged sideways, avoiding its reach. Thor flew at him but he punched Thor straight in the face.

"Is this the best you can do, Asgardian!"

Thor stepped back shakily and to help him recover, Tony dove in. Thanos grabbed at him angrily. 

"You are a little tin fly that irritates me with your incessant flying! I will teach you a lesson!" 

He threw his axe at Tony, who narrowly managed to avoid it. But as he swerved, he was hit in the face by a pile of mud, obscuring his vision. 

He felt himself falling and flailed blindly, trying to keep himself upright. 

"Friday! I am flying blind here!" 

"I am taking control, Sir!" 

He felt the jet repulsors in his legs, fire up but then he felt another splat of mud and then another hit him hard on his suit. Then something hit his right leg and he lost his balance. 

"Friday!" 

"Leg thrusters encased in mud! Trying to clear!"

Tony disengaged his visor, just in time to realize how close he had flown to Thanos' reach. He was battling Thor with one hand and was swinging his axe around, trying to hit Tony. 

Tony fell hard to the muck, falling backwards as he slipped. Thanos turned and saw him. He lifted his axe high in the air and then astonishingly, it was plucked out of his hands.

"Thanos!" A loud terribly unearthly voice echoed through the crater. 

They all turned and Tony gasped in awe. Wanda was levitating in the thin air high above them, surrounded by a massive swirl of blood red energy trails. Her eyes glowed red and her hair was slowly floating around her like a halo. 

"It is time for you to meet YOUR destiny." She said in that terribly deep hollow voice. "It is time for you to face me!"

She waved her hands, the swirls convalesced and coagulated and suddenly Thanos' helmet was forcibly wrenched from his face. 

Wanda raised one hand, fingers outstretched and then pulled her hand back hard. Thanos' heavy chestplate began to fold and pull away from his chest. 

"Noooo!!" Thanos grabbed desperately at his armor piece, trying to hold onto it but Wanda's force was stronger. Moving both hands, she snatched his chest plate away from him, wringing it to a ball of metal. 

In the distance, Tony saw Valkyrie on her winged beast, ride towards them fast and hard, holding her sword up high.

"Now Thor!" Wanda yelled.

Thor swung his hammer, hitting Thanos squarely in the chest, making him reel backwards. 

In a flash of lighting, Valkyrie threw the sword straight at Thanos, from the sky. The sword being heavy, tilted off course but then a ruby-red force enveloped its length and it straightened, heading straight for Thanos like a javelin.

_Wanda's controlling it!_

Thanos raised his hands to block it but in a beautifully agile movement, Thor leapt upwards, caught the sword and pushed it right into Thanos' chest. 

With a loud cry, Thanos jerked upwards but Thor held firm, Wanda also pushing the sword down with all her might and it went straight through Thanos's body, pinning him to the ground. 

Blood spurted out of Thanos' mouth but he still had some strength and clutched wildly at the sword, trying to pull it out. Then Thor lifted his hammer and swung it down hard, hitting the sword. 

That did it. Thanos jerked one last time and then fell still. Tony couldn't believe what he was seeing. 

"Is he... dead?"

"There's one way to be sure." Thor said grimly and lifted his hammer to smash Thanos' face. 

Valkyrie and Wanda approached them, watching quietly as Thor swung his hammer again and again until all that was left was a pile of mashed oozing flesh. 

"Thor..." Tony said gently, "It is over, he is dead." 

"He killed my brother! He snapped his neck like a twig!" Thor screamed, tears running down his face as he continued to swing his hammer blindly at the Warlord's body. 

"Thor Odinson." Valkyrie said softly and that brought Thor out of his blood-fueled haze. "Your foe is dead. Your brother is avenged." 

Thor took a deep breath, his entire frame trembling and dropped his hammer. It started to rain again and he lifted his face to the sky, his eyes filled with unshed tears. 

"After all these years... I have done something good, something right..."

He covered his face with his hands and began to weep bitterly. Tony shakily stood up and gently laid his hand on the shaking blonde giant's shoulder.

"You did good, pal... you really did... it's okay... you can rest now..." 

Valkyrie came over to them slowly and then enveloped Thor in a fierce hug. Tony moved around them to see Wanda. 

She stood at the foot of the body, staring at it bleakly, her mouth twisted in a painful smile. 

"You okay, Maximoff?" He asked softly. 

She didn't take her eyes off Thanos' body. 

"I have my revenge... yet I feel more empty than before..." 

A solitary tear ran down her cheek. He clasped her shoulder, not knowing what to say. 

* * *

<b>Two weeks later

Tony studied the large poo-colored bunny-shaped cake in the center of the room. 

"Mrs. Potts, you really have a sense of humor..." he muttered to himself. 

It was his and Pepper's five year wedding anniversary. To celebrate, they were holding a small (but medium-sized in Pepper's opinion) party, on the private lake by their woodland cabin.

He scanned the bustling, lively crowd and then smiled to himself as he caught sight of Rhodes and Okoye standing side by side, drinking champagne and laughing. 

"Platypus, you bold dog..."

"Indeed, Mr. Stark..." The gentle majestic voice of Prince T'challa behind him, made him turn. The King of Wakanda and his sister, smiled at him.

"Your Highness, I didn't mean any offense!"

"Mr. Stark, I concur with your assessment." The King said regally but his dark brown eyes twinkled mischievously. 

"How Colonel Rhodes managed to persuade my tough Okoye to attend a party, is a real puzzle to me."

"Oh please, brother!" Princess Shuri said, rolling her eyes. "She was always sweet on him! She was always checking him out and stalking his Instagram!"

"Shuri..." the King said, shaking his head. 

"It is so true! She ain't as slow as you, old man!" Shuri said with a smirk. Then someone called them from the end of the dock.

The King raised his hand in reply and then nodded at Tony. 

"I am afraid we must mingle. In case we do not meet again, I must thank you for inviting us, Mr. Stark. Please keep in mind, you are always welcome in Wakanda."

"Yeah, Mr. Stark! Come over some time and we can talk nano-tech!" Shuri said excitedly. "I have so many improvement ideas for your suit!"

"Shuri!" The King said sternly and she stuck her tongue out at him. 

Tony smiled and nodded.

He watched them walk away and then felt a tap on his arm. 

He turned to see Peter beaming at him happily, in an ill-fitting suit. He was accompanied by a chubby, dazed Asian teenager and a long-legged pretty young woman with hazel eyes. 

"Mr. Stark..." Peter stammered out but shut his mouth when Tony placed his hand on his shoulder. 

"Kid... I am going to tell you one last time. Call me Tony, else you aren't going to be allowed on my property." 

"Yes, Sir! I mean! Sure! Tonny! Tone! Erm! Well, thanks for inviting me! Great party! I see all the Avengers are here! Even Dr. Strange! And where's Captain Rogers? Oh, there he is! He looks well-"

"Peter..." the young lady interrupted firmly, with a smile on her face. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Oh yeah!" Peter turned a bright red. "Erm, this is...Ned..."

"Of course! Peter's best friend. I have heard so much about you." Tony said warmly, extending his hand to the wide-eyed teenager. 

Ned looked at his hand, swallowed audibly and looked back up at him. 

"You have to forgive him, Mr. Stark." The young lady said smoothly. "He's... not good with meeting heroes." 

"Okay... and you must be the mysterious smart MJ." Tony offered her his hand and she shook it confidently, smirking at him. 

"Don't tell me Parker here, has been yammering about me too?" She quirked an eyebrow at Peter, who turned even redder. 

"Erm... well... I..." 

"He simply said you were the most interesting woman he had ever met in his short life." Tony said softly, looking straight at MJ and holding her gaze. A corner of her mouth quirked up and she nodded. 

"Cool. I can accept that." 

She punched Peter lightly in the shoulder. "Let's stop hogging Mr. Stark and get some cake." 

"Yeah! Sure! You guys go ahead! I just want to, erm..." Peter looked at Tony desperately. "I want to..."

"Talk some Avengers stuff. Yup. We got to have a little pow-wow." Tony said smoothly, completely understanding the kid. "I'll let Peter go as soon as I can." 

"Avengers stuff!!!" Ned exclaimed loudly, making people turn to look at them. "WOW! Can I listen, please! I won't interrupt, I promise! I am good at keeping secrets, I am! Ask Peter, he-"

Peter said quickly, "Ned, this is... top-secret. Not for civilian ears." 

The cute chubby little guy's face fell with disappointment. Tony couldn't bear this, so he decided to offer a distraction. 

He noticed Clint and Steve standing by the bar table. "Hey there's Captain America and Hawkeye! Why don't you guys go say hello? They can tell you all about Avengers stuff!"

"Where! What! Captain, O Captain!" Ned took off, ambling towards the table. 

MJ sighed tiredly. "I should stop him from embarrassing himself... or at least record it for my own amusement.. I'll see you later, Mr. Stark." 

She picked up her long gown and quickly walked after Ned.

Tony put his hand around Peter's shoulder. "What's up, kid?"

"Well... you... you met MJ... soo...erm... I... I want... I mean... I know she's out of my league but... I think there's something there! But I don't know how to ... I don't know if I should... I mean..." 

"Pete... Parker... Spiderling..." Tony said gently. "MJ is... a beautiful, smart young woman... so take it from me... be her friend first... and then when the time is right, talk to her, be open with her, listen to her feelings and then take things further. Don't rush. You are still young." 

"Okay...did this talking... taking things slow... being friends first... is that how you got Mrs. Potts?"

Tony thought about his and Pepper's years together and smiled. 

"It took me 10 years and numerous near-death incidents but Mrs. Potts finally took pity on me and accepted me as her boyfriend. So... yeah... friendship first... then romance." 

"Cool..." Peter swallowed. "How will I know when it's the right time?"

"You'll know kid, don't worry. Your spidey sense will tell you." 

Peter grinned happily. "Okay..."

"Now run along and have fun, alright. You kids have a ride home? Don't drink! I know you are underage! I'll set Happy on you!"

Peter laughed and ran off to join his friends, who were talking to Clint. Tony couldn't help but smile. 

"Daddy!" 

He heard his little daughter scream as she came running towards him happily. He bent and quickly picked her up in his arms. 

"Where's the fire, Madame Secretary?"

Clint's tow-headed little boy Nathaniel came up behind her. 

"Daddy, Lila has a bow and arrow! And she can shoot very well!" His daughter said petulantly, cupping his cheeks with her little hands. 

"And Cooper has one too and Nathan's going to get one soon! They got it from their daddy! So why can't I have a suit like you and Mommy have?"

Tony stuck his tongue in his cheek, thinking hard.

"Erm... wait... did you ask Mommy?"

Morgan shook her head silently. 

"You know the rules! Mommy owns all the suits, she does! So if she says you can have one, then I'll make you one, pumpkin!"

"Really?!" His daughter shrieked with joy. "Yaah! Let me down, I'll go ask her now!"

"Mr. Stark!" Clint's young son said timidly, "Would you make me a suit too? Please! Please! I'll give you all my pocket money!"

"Erm... well, ask Morgan's mom! She owns all my tools too!" 

"Okay!" 

The kids ran off into the crowd, giggling happily.

Tony scratched his head. 

_Oh good lord, Pepper told me not to keep fobbing off Morgan's tough questions...now I am in trouble..._

"It is moments like these, the peaceful breaks between the war, that make you realize why the war is worth fighting for..."

He turned to see Carol step out from the shadows, a glass of wine in her good arm. In her typical tomboyish style, she had worn jeans and a faded leather jacket with sunglasses. The jacket's left sleeve was cut off, exposing her gleaming titanium prosthetic arm. 

Even though Carol was cosmically enhanced with superhuman strength, using the Stones had taken a serious physical toll on her. 

Bruce, Rocket and he had worked tirelessly after the battle, to fix her up as much as possible but there was a limit to what they could do.

She had lost her arm and her eye and the left side of her body was scarred.

"Danvers... Captain..." he stepped closer to her. "I can't thank you enough for what you did..."

"Hey Stark, can it!" She said with a snort. "I didn't do it just for you!" 

She swallowed hard and removed her glasses. Her blind eye stared into the distance but her clear blue one focused on him, emotion shining in their depths. 

"When I bought you back to Earth, all those years ago... I saw how your wife hugged you when we landed... how she cried when you were sleeping in the medical bay... how your friend, the tough stoic Colonel... lovingly took off your glasses and then sat by your bedside, until you woke up... and now a little girl of your own... so much sacrifice... it is too much to ask of a man." 

"You lost your limb and your eye, Captain..." he said solemnly. "I honestly thank you for thinking of me, I will remain eternally grateful." 

She smiled softly.

"Just doing my duty... and please call me Carol."

"Well, well, well..." they both turned as Nick Fury walked up to them. "Do my eyes deceive me? Captain Danvers, back on Earth!"

Tony was taken aback by the way Carol rushed happily at Fury. 

"Nick! You son of a bitch!"

She reached to hug him and then stopped but he quickly hugged her instead. 

"Danvers, we have got to catch up!" 

"Yeah.." she said sadly, slipping on her sunglasses. "A lot has happened." 

Fury's face softened. 

"Hey... it ain't so bad... I got a box of spare eye patches if you need them."

She snorted. "As if I want to walk around looking like you!"

"Girl, you wish you looked as good as me!"

They both laughed and then Fury said, "Hey Stark! My first and best Avenger recruit and I are going to talk shop out back! Don't follow us!"

"Best recruit!" Carol threw her head back and laughed. "I never accepted your proposal to join your weird-ass military outfit!"

Their voices trailed off as they walked away towards the food table together, laughing. 

Tony slowly shoved his hands into his pockets. 

"First recruit huh... hmmm there's a story there but first things first... where's my lovely wife?"

He saw Steve step out onto the dock and walk right to the very edge. 

"Okay, I got to sort old Captain out first." 

Tony carefully stepped onto the dock and then walked towards Steve, who was looking out over the water, his hands in his pockets. 

"Penny for your thoughts, Captain?"

Steve smiled at him over his shoulder. 

"Congratulations on the anniversary, Stark... Beautiful house, you have here. Beautiful family too..." He sighed heavily and turned back to the water. "I was just wool-gathering, don't mind me."

"You liar." Tony said simply and Steve turned to face him. "You came out here because you keep thinking about your woman and your home... in the past..." 

Steve clenched his jaw and then nodded.

Tony remembered Carol's words and realized how he could help his friend. He clasped Steve's shoulder and said softly, "A genius playboy once said, we fight to end the fight... so that we can go home... the long war is over, Steve... you should go home."

Steve smiled sadly. "I have no home to go to, Stark. I had a woman... I had a home with the Avengers... but now... now I don't know anymore..." 

He shoved his hands into his trousers and looked into the distance. 

"Home is where the heart is, Rogers... your heart remained with Peggy Carter in 1945... it is time you went home... because Time is what you have."

Steve stared at him. "Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?"

Tony said, "I am suggesting, you stop mopping around in the present and use the Time Stone, to go back to 1945 and... not remain in the ice? Go to New York, go see Miss Carter... go home..." 

"But... but... if I go back... I'd be in the Arctic ocean, I can't undo that decision, I can't reverse that!"

"You don't have to. Time travel is linear. You stayed in the ice for 66 years. That gives you, future you, 66 years to live with Miss Carter, until your present self is thawed out..." 

Steve took a deep breath. "I don't know, Stark... I mean... it's a lot..." 

"Think about it..." he put his arm on his shoulder and slowly turned him towards the party. "Talk to Banner, let him do some calculations, we'll think it out... I think it is a win-win..."

"You are the smartest man I know..." Steve said solemnly. "You think this would work?" 

Tony nodded. "Yes, I do. Hey, I've love for you to stay here and run around with Wilson and your buddy Barnes but..."

"Banner wants the Stones to be destroyed." 

"We'll do that, we'll just keep the Time Stone intact and then you use it to go back to 1945 and then you can return it to the Kamar Taj in New York. Strange's place of work." 

He patted Steve comfortingly. "Rogers... you want to go back to Peggy, right?"

"I do." Steve said heavily. "With all my heart." 

"Then we will make it happen. Hey, we went back to New York, to the 1970s, Thanos came here from 2014! You going back to 1945... easy!"

They reached the steps leading up to the party and Steve looked at him. 

"Thank you. Thank you, Stark."

"No, thank you, Rogers. It is time you stopped fighting and went home. You sacrificed a lot... you deserve your rest." 

Steve smiled and climbed up the steps. Tony followed him at a slower pace, working his way through the crowd. Then he found who he was looking for. His wife. 

Pepper was standing by the cake, laughing brightly as Rhodey cracked a joke. Just like the first time they had danced together, she was wearing a powder-blue backless gown that pooled around her feet. A single strand of pearls decorated her neck and matching earrings sparkled in her ear. She had left her glorious mane of reddish-gold hair open and it tumbled down her bare back. 

Tony walked straight up to her and took her hand. 

"Mrs. Potts, a word in private."

"Oh! Okay!"

He led her through the crowd, to the rotunda at the end of the dock. The noise of the party faded away as they stood in the secluded circular spot, that overlooked the lake with the shade of a sleepy willow tree, right on the water's edge. 

"Tony, what's the matter?" Pepper asked worriedly. 

"It is time for us to go back in time... sort of... well, through music and situation..."

"What! No way, Tony Stark"! Pepper caught the lapel of his suit. "We are staying right here in this timeline only!"

"I am kidding, Potts... relax... what I meant by go back in time.... is..." He pulled her into his arms.

She gasped in surprise and he took advantage, to rest one hand in the delicate soft hollow of her bare back and the other holding her hand up high. 

"Dance with me, Potts..." he whispered. "Just like how you did all those years ago... wearing a sinfully decadent backless gown, your hair streaming around your shoulders and your eyes making love to mine."

Pepper's blue eyes searched his and then she lowered her long lashes, shielding them from his view. Her cheeks charmingly turned rose pink and she swept her tongue across her moist lips. 

He was overcome with emotion at the memory and the impact of having the same magical woman in his arms. 

"Tony, underneath all your snark, you are such a romantic..." Pepper whispered.

"I believe the correct term is closet romantic..." he whispered against her cheek. 

She sighed and then slowly pulled her hand out of his grasp, only to wind both her arms around his neck. 

"I know we didn't dance like this all those years ago but... this feels much better..." she murmured softly. 

"Yes, it does..." 

"So..." she whispered her mouth, so close to his. "Is this dance going to end in the same way as the last one? Or are you going to kiss me this time around?" 

"Definitely a kiss, Mrs. Potts. I won't make the same mistake twice."

Her eyes sparkled at him before he slowly touched his lips to hers, feeling her flesh quiver against his before he took her mouth completely, sliding his tongue in to tease hers. 

_ **Part of the journey is the end. ** _


End file.
